The present invention is directed to a trolling motor of the type that includes a telescoping shaft, of the type disclosed in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,427, issued to Bruce Lee, which disclosure is fully and expressly incorporated herein by reference.
The trolling motor according to the present invention includes a mounting bracket that connects the trolling motor to the boat. A drive unit, which includes a telescoping shaft, is pivotally connected to the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket, for example, can include a mounting plate configured to be secured to the boat (e.g. upper surface of deck). The trolling motor according to the present invention includes a shaft that is extendable/retractable or telescoping to change the length of the shaft. The mounting bracket facilitates pivoting of the trolling motor back and forth between the substantially horizontal non-operating resting or stowed position to the substantially vertical operating position. The trolling motor according to the present invention is configured so that the drive unit is retracted to a compacted configuration when the trolling motor is being stowed. Further, when the drive unit is in fully vertical operating position, the depth of the propeller of the drive unit can be raised or lowered by telescoping or collapsing the shaft. Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,427 fully teaches the mechanical retraction mechanism which includes the mounting bracket of the instant trolling motor.
Applicant herein discloses an improvement over prior art telescoping trolling motor devices. According to the instant disclosure, the shaft can be telescoped or extended by the operator manually through a cable and cable locking device. In the preferred embodiment, the cable is a rope where the rope has knot like sections of increased rope diameter. In another embodiment a cable locking device locks the sections of decreased diameter that intercede between the rope sections of increased diameter. In other embodiments, a cable locking device locks a smooth cable of uniform diameter.